On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

Introduced Ma, the narrator's mother, who experiences trauma, colors, and shows complex caregiving and abuse dynamics. Ma is presented as the narrator's mother, urging him to use English and caring for him in various domestic scenes. Ma (the narrator's mother) is frantic in the car, shouting warnings and urging escape, showing deteriorating mental state. Ma is referenced as the one who once said memory is a choice. Ma is referenced in narrator's internal dialogue about identity and safety. Narrator and Ma converse at a Dunkin' Donuts on a rainy Sunday; Ma reveals she decided to keep a son after a forced abortion and recounts her past dress and barn dance. Narrator addresses Ma with a reflection on a comma becoming a period. Ma reflects on addiction, industry profiteering, and fears of being caught, interprets graffiti "FAG4LIFE" as a twisted holiday, writes as an endangered species, and worries about being seized before she can act. Ma repeats the warning “You’re already Vietnamese” while observing the narrator in the garden.

Introduced the narrator’s ESL teacher who helped him learn to read and introduced him to the book “Thunder Cake.”

First-person narrator, a 28‑year‑old Vietnamese American son writing a letter to his mother and recalling multiple childhood memories. Narrator recounts his childhood, his college English degree, and the nickname "Little Dog" given by his grandmother. Narrator recounts his nine‑year‑old summer in Virginia, his relationship with his grandfather Paul, and memories of Ca trù songs and his role as interpreter for his mother. The narrator is a mother waiting at a kitchen table, reheating fried flat noodles, watching for her son wearing an orange New York Knicks sweater while his son lies under a pine grove. Narrator recounts working at his mother’s nail salon and a tobacco farm at age fourteen. Narrator recounts his experiences on a Connecticut tobacco farm, meeting Trevor in a barn, feeling a coiled charge of desire, and reflecting on childhood memories. Narrator reflects on his pink bike, a dress he once wore, and a dance in a tobacco barn, linking these memories to his relationship with Ma. Narrator rides a bike with Trevor, observes the Connecticut River at night, reflects on decaying neighborhoods and his newfound freedom after leaving his father's house. Narrator deepens his sexual and emotional partnership with Trevor, recounts abusive childhood memories, and describes their shared experiences in rain and on the farm. Narrator travels by train from NYC to Hartford after learning of Trevor's death, reflects on memories, and visits Trevor's house. The narrator details OxyContin’s history, its deceptive marketing, Trevor’s overdose cause, and his own war metaphor, describing his drug‑filled, sexual, and artistic struggles. Narrator reflects on Lan’s death, calls Paul from Vietnam, and muses on names and memories. Narrator reflects on memories while walking in a Virginia garden with his grandfather Paul, linking past trauma to present surroundings. Narrator recounts a vivid, dream‑like memory on a tobacco farm at age fifteen, hearing a wailing animal, and reflecting on his bond with Trevor.

Introduced Phuong, the narrator’s cousin who died in a car wreck and is later visualized on a subway train.

Grandmother Lan is depicted in vivid detail, revealing her skin tone, schizophrenia, war trauma, and interaction with the narrator. Lan's backstory reveals she fled an arranged marriage, named herself, and is now a mother holding her infant daughter at a war checkpoint. Lan’s wartime past expands to include work as a sex worker for American GIs, her meeting with Paul in 1967, and her marriage in Saigon. Lan speaks about Lady Triệu and reacts to the violent situation, showing moments of lucidity and protective urgency. Lan recounts a brutal monkey‑brain sacrifice ritual in a garage, soldiers’ vow “No bang bang,” and her nickname “Little Dog” origin while a Huey helicopter returns. Lan dies after a two‑week home hospice from stage‑four bone cancer, described in vivid detail of her final moments and care. Lan is recalled in multiple flashbacks, including a Saigon night where drag performers delay sadness after her death.

Mai is the narrator's sister, mentioned briefly during bedtime scenes. Mai is identified as Lan’s daughter from an arranged marriage, twelve years old at the time of the flashbacks. Mai is referenced as the target of a potential murder; later revealed to have moved to Florida and opened her own salon. Mai cares for Lan in her final hours, feeding her rice and counting her purple toes.

Young soldier at the checkpoint, armed with an M‑16, wearing an olive tag that hints at his name.

Infant daughter of Lan, wearing a sky‑blue shawl, also referred to as Rose.

Stooped older man with combed white hair who leads a macaque into the garage and initiates a toast. The stooped white‑haired man appears in the garage scene where a monkey’s brain is to be sacrificed. The white‑haired man participates in the garage ritual, described as stooped and part of the group planning the sacrifice.

Carol is a neighbor who greets Paul and the narrator when they arrive home.

Earl Dennison Woods, father of Tiger Woods, is presented as a Vietnam veteran who married a Thai woman and raised Tiger in the United States.

LeMay is quoted as saying he would bomb Vietnam “back into the Stone Ages.”

Kultida is the Thai woman who married Earl Woods and gave birth to Tiger Woods.

Paul is introduced as the narrator’s grandfather, a former US Navy sailor who met Lan in Vietnam, later diagnosed with cancer linked to Agent Orange. Paul appears via video call, watches Lan’s grave, and recounts his wartime history with Lan in Vietnamese. Grandfather Paul prepares pesto in his kitchen and clips mint leaves in the garden, observing the narrator’s movements.

Tiger Woods is referenced as the famous golfer whose name derives from his parents’ names and who is a product of the Vietnam‑era diaspora.

Vuong Dang Phong, a Vietnamese lieutenant colonel and close friend of Earl Woods, is described as “Tiger Phong” who later died in a re‑education camp.

Carl is mentioned as Mai’s former boyfriend who used to slam her head against the wall and is now absent, implicated in the violent scenario.

Rose is addressed by Lan during the chaotic confrontation, suggesting she is another name for the mother figure. Rose runs the nail salon, gives a detailed pedicure, and asks the narrator to scrape her back. Rose watches two blood‑stained boys in a pine grove, reheats noodles, and uses a bullet metaphor for her son’s chest.

The son lies under the pines with a friend, wears an orange New York Knicks sweater, and declares he is no longer scared of dying.

Trev is the son’s friend who is asked for a secret during the scene under the pines. Trev, revealed as Buford’s grandson, works on the farm to escape his grandfather. Trevor appears as a teenage farm worker drinking neon‑yellow Gatorade, openly hating his dad, wearing a WWII army helmet, and discussing the low‑grade tobacco crop. Trevor is mentioned as the narrator’s friend who watched him dance in the tobacco barn. Trevor accompanies the narrator on the night bike ride, smokes a cigarette, shares a Snickers, and comments on the rumored presence of Ray Allen in the hills. Extensive new details about Trevor's background, actions, appearance, and attitudes are revealed, including his age, reckless driving, scar, likes, violence, and relationship with the narrator. Narrator learns Trevor died the night before his arrival in Hartford; flashbacks reveal his drug use, scar, job, and their pact of never saying goodbye. Trevor’s overdose death is confirmed; details of his favorite media, Jolly Ranchers, Call of Duty, and his seizure scene are provided. Flashback to an intense sexual encounter with the narrator in a barn, followed by a river scene; Trevor is already known to be dead earlier in the narrative. Trevor appears half‑asleep beside the narrator, discusses buffaloes, asks existential questions, and playfully punches the narrator’s arm.

Manny is the Spanish‑speaking crew leader at the Hartford tobacco farm who calls the narrator ‘Chinito’. Manny is mentioned as a coworker on the Connecticut tobacco farm.

Owner of the Hartford tobacco farm, a jovial older white man with a Red Sox cap and gold tooth. Mr. Buford is mentioned as another coworker on the farm.

Nico is a Dominican migrant worker at the tobacco farm.

Rick is a young white farmhand rumored to be on the sex‑offender list.

First‑grade classmate of Albanian descent who gave the narrator a pizza bagel.

Overdosed, later caught stealing laptops from Trinity College and sentenced to four years in prison.

Individual who overdosed at a park along the bike route.

Former tenant of the New Britain Ave tenement who repeatedly yelled at the narrator and later died alone, his belongings left in a dumpster.

Gulf War veteran who lost a leg, worked at Maybelle Auto Repair, and rescued a baby from a car trunk during a blizzard.

Former UConn basketball star rumored to own a house in the hills the narrator and Trevor pass.

Person who overdosed at the parking lot behind the MEGA XXXLOVE DEPOT.

Friend of the narrator who emigrated from India in 1995 and lived on Asylum Ave, where his mother sold Cutco knives for cash.

An elderly, alcoholic former SeaWorld seal trainer who dominates the living‑room scene, speaking erratically about his past, Uncle James, and violent deeds. Trevor's father is referenced as a drunken, abusive figure influencing Trevor's actions and the veal story. Father of Trevor appears as a grief‑fucked figure in the narrator's visit to Trevor's house. Trevor’s father is depicted as an abusive drunken man who forces Trevor into harmful behavior.

Referred to by Trevor’s dad as a violent family member who burned people in a jungle.

Mentioned in a text message as someone the narrator might call.

A drugged macaque is central to the sacrifice ritual in the garage, intended to provide a brain for impotence.

Rose is referenced as an alternate name for the narrator’s mother during a conversation about identity.